Squash Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter
Gnocchi are fun to make and a delicious way to use in-season squash. Prepare the mixture up to a day ahead.
Hands-on time 40min, plus chilling. Cooking time 1hr 5min. Serves 4 (or 6 as a starter)
◆ 1 butternut squash, about 900g (2lb)
◆ Large pinch freshly grated nutmeg
◆ 3tbsp olive oil
◆ 1 medium egg yolk
◆ 100g (3½oz) plain flour
◆ 40g (1½oz) Parmesan, grated
◆ 50g (2oz) hazelnuts, roughly chopped
◆ 75g (3oz) butter
◆ Small handful sage leaves
1 Heat oven to 220°C (200°C fan) mark 7. Cut squash lengthways into 8 long wedges and deseed. Tip into a roasting tray with nutmeg and seasoning. Drizzle with 2tbsp oil and toss well. Roast for 45min, turning halfway through, until tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
2 Spoon out flesh from skins and whiz in a food processor until smooth. Tip into a saucepan and cook for 10min, stirring until thick, and most of the moisture has cooked out. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.
3 Add the egg yolk, flour, Parmesan and
some seasoning to the squash purée and mix well. The soft dough should come together easily: if it’s a little sticky, add more flour one tablespoon at a time.
4 Tip the dough on to a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 batches. Roll each into a long sausage shape and cut into 2cm (¾in) pieces. Transfer to a floured baking sheet, cover with clingfilm and chill for 1hr.
5 Meanwhile, gently toast the hazelnuts in a large, dry frying pan and set aside.
6 Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan and gently fry sage until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Tip gnocchi into pan with 25g (1oz) butter, fry for 4-5min on each side until golden and crisp, remove and divide among plates. Increase heat and cook remaining butter until just starting to brown and smell nutty, pour over gnocchi, and serve sprinkled with hazelnuts and sage.
PER SERVING (for 4) 547cals, 12g protein, 37g fat (14g saturates), 38g carbs (11g total sugars), 7g fibre
GET AHEAD The gnocchi can be made to the end of step 3 up to 24hr before.